Original: Nor on the beasts themselves, the birds, and fishes;
Modern: Don’t prey on animals, birds, or fish;

Original: You must eat men. Yet thanks I must you con
Modern: You must prey on people instead. Yet I must thank you

Original: That you are thieves profess’d, that you work not
Modern: That you’re honest about being thieves, that you don’t work

Original: In holier shapes: for there is boundless theft
Modern: While pretending to be respectable: because there’s unlimited stealing

Original: In limited professions. Rascal thieves,
Modern: Going on in so-called “honest” professions. You scoundrel thieves,

Original: Here’s gold. Go, suck the subtle blood o’ the grape,
Modern: Here’s gold. Go drink wine,

Original: Till the high fever seethe your blood to froth,
Modern: Until a raging fever makes your blood boil and bubble,

Original: And so ‘scape hanging: trust not the physician;
Modern: And so you’ll escape hanging by dying first: don’t trust doctors;

Original: His antidotes are poison, and he slays
Modern: Their medicines are poison, and they kill

Original: Moe than you rob: take wealth and lives together;
Modern: More people than you rob: so steal both money and lives at once;

Original: Do villany, do, since you protest to do’t,
Modern: Commit your crimes, go ahead, since you claim to do it

Original: Like workmen. I’ll example you with thievery.
Modern: Like it’s your profession. I’ll give you examples of thievery.

Original: The sun’s a thief, and with his great attraction
Modern: The sun’s a thief, and with its powerful pull

Original: Robs the vast sea: the moon’s an arrant thief,
Modern: It steals water from the vast sea: the moon’s a total thief,

Original: And her pale fire she snatches from the sun:
Modern: And its pale light is stolen from the sun:

Original: The sea’s a thief, whose liquid surge resolves
Modern: The sea’s a thief, whose tides dissolve

Original: The moon into salt tears: the earth’s a thief,
Modern: The moon into salty water: the earth’s a thief,

Original: That feeds and breeds by a composture stolen
Modern: That nourishes and creates life using compost made

Original: From general excrement: each thing’s a thief:
Modern: From everyone’s waste: everything’s a thief:

Original: The laws, your curb and whip, in their rough power
Modern: The laws, which are supposed to restrain and punish you, in their harsh power

Original: Have uncheque’d theft. Love not yourselves: away,
Modern: Allow theft to go unpunished. Don’t love yourselves: go away,

Original: Rob one another. There’s more gold. Cut throats:
Modern: Rob each other. Here’s more gold. Murder people:

Original: All that you meet are thieves: to Athens go,
Modern: Everyone you meet is a thief: go to Athens,

Original: Break open shops; nothing can you steal,
Modern: Break into stores; you can’t steal anything,

Original: But thieves do lose it: steal no less for this
Modern: Because thieves will just steal it from you: don’t steal any less because of this gold

Original: I give you; and gold confound you howsoe’er! Amen.
Modern: I’m giving you; and may gold destroy you no matter what! Amen.

In Act IV, Scene 3 of “Timon of Athens,” the scene continues with Timon encountering the poet and painter who had previously flattered him in his prosperous days. The two artists have heard rumors that Timon has discovered gold and have come to the woods seeking his patronage once more. Timon immediately recognizes their mercenary motives and subjects them to his bitter contempt. He pretends to welcome them and promises gold, but his words are laced with savage irony as he exposes their hypocrisy and greed. The poet and painter attempt to maintain their pretenses, but Timon strips away their false eloquence, revealing them as opportunistic parasites who would abandon him again the moment his wealth disappeared.

Timon ultimately drives the poet and painter away with insults and threats of violence, giving them gold only to emphasize his disgust for their venality. After their departure, Flavius, Timon’s former steward, enters the scene. Unlike the others who have visited Timon in the woods, Flavius demonstrates genuine loyalty and affection for his former master, weeping at Timon’s miserable condition. Timon is initially suspicious even of Flavius, but the steward’s sincere devotion eventually penetrates Timon’s misanthropic armor. Moved by this single example of human goodness, Timon acknowledges Flavius as an exception to mankind’s corruption, gives him gold, and urges him to live away from humanity. However, Timon maintains that this one honest man does not redeem the rest of humanity, and he remains committed to his hatred of mankind.

Timon of Athens tells the story of a wealthy Athenian nobleman whose excessive generosity leads to his downfall. In the first half of the play, Timon lavishes gifts, throws extravagant banquets, and freely lends money to anyone who asks, despite warnings from his loyal steward Flavius about his dwindling finances. Timon dismisses these concerns, believing his generosity will be repaid by the loyalty of his many friends. However, his creditors eventually come calling, and Timon discovers he has no money left to pay his debts.

When Timon’s financial ruin becomes apparent, he sends servants to ask his former friends and beneficiaries for loans to help him through his crisis. One by one, they all refuse him with various excuses - Lucilius claims his money is tied up in investments, Lucullus pretends not to be home, and Sempronius feels insulted that Timon didn’t ask him first. Faced with this universal rejection, Timon invites all his false friends to one final feast, where he serves them warm water and stones, then curses them and banishes himself from Athens.

Timon retreats to a cave in the wilderness outside Athens, where he becomes a misanthropic hermit, railing against humanity and civilization. While digging for roots to eat, he discovers gold in the earth. Various visitors come to see him in his exile, including the loyal Flavius, the philosopher Apemantus (who had always criticized Timon’s generosity), thieves seeking the gold, and the exiled general Alcibiades who is marching against Athens. Timon gives away the gold freely but refuses all attempts at reconciliation or friendship. The play ends with news of Timon’s death reaching Athens, where Alcibiades has successfully taken the city and promises to restore order and justice.